Ushoka
Ushoka is a large city located on an escarpment in Zamluno. The city is surrounded by the "Grand Enclosure", a massive wall approximately 30 feet high and 15 feet thick. The wall, constructed from stone quarried in the Kwapo Mountains, is made of granite blocks, fitted together with such expertise that no mortar is required to maintain the integrity of the wall. Circular towers protect the wall at regular intervals. When not busy tending to their mounts, contingents of elephant archers man the towers. Standing military forces in Ushoka include 500 mounted elephant archers, 250 heavy infantry, 250 light infantry, and 250 skirmishers. By calling upon locals with militia training, these numbers can be doubled in times of crisis. The city itself is divided into two main sections. Commoners, who compose some 75% of the city's population, occupy the first section. They live in mud and thatch houses, and fire is a constant hazard. Luckily for the ruling class, this portion of the city is separated from the elite areas by an interior wall of the Grand Enclosure. The commoner portion of the city also houses the military. The war elephants, particularly, consume massive amounts of food. There is an entire industry within the city devoted solely to importing leaves and other plant matter from the Andani marshes to feed the elephants. Despite the harsh punishment for thievery under Ushokan law - death by crushing under the foot of an elephant - the city's massive wealth attracts hundreds of thieves. Small bands of criminals constantly compete for territory in the common section of Ushoka. The second section of the city is occupied by the upper classes. Upper-class homes are large complexes composed of daga - a type of concrete made of mud and mortar mixed with sand, clay, or gravel - and well-stocked with servants, supplies, and all manner of luxuries imported from around the world. Granite temples also figure prominently in this area. Temples include much statuary, most reflecting traditional aesthetics. Just outside the city stands a collection of granite and soapstone monoliths. These monoliths have been carved over the centuries, making the area look much like a man-made petrified forest. While most are content to carve the name of a departed relative onto a monolith or erect a new one, others have taken to burying their dead in the area as well. After an unfortunate incident with a zombie cultist, people have started encasing the dead in daga cement to prevent them from ever rising up again. Ushokan Empire The city of Ushoka commands a large empire stretching across the plains of Zamluno and the Kwapo Mountains. The Empire of Ushoka is one of the most powerful - and possibly most repressive - native states on the Veldt. The Kwapo Mountains are the largest source of gold in the entire continent, and possibly the world. This one natural resource is the sole foundation of Ushokan power. The gold mines are controlled exclusively by an upper class of merchant families, though some peasants still manage to make a meager living on gold panned from the tributary streams of the Andani River. Ushoka is a very orderly society, and despite its great wealth, its inhabitants know few personal freedoms. Laws in Ushoka are exceptionally harsh, and many crimes, even simple property crimes, are punishable by death. History Ushoka rose to prominence with the discovery of gold within the Kwapo Mountains by a farmer named Harame Kwanso. Kwanso shared his newfound wealth, and the neighboring families quickly rallied around him, declaring him the first king of Ushoka. The families that shared in Kwanso's wealth evolved into the upper class of Ushoka. In addition, the imperial lineage itself has changed several times over the centuries, mostly due to assassinations and coups. It is rumored that Shamaya Zumala, the current queen, actually hails from a family of rogues. In recent months, Queen Shamaya has publicly voiced concerns about a growing decadence in the upper class. There are even rumors that certain noble families have enslaved commoners and forced them to work in the mines or as domestic servants. According to Ushokan law, the keeping of slaves is punishable by drowning, but so far the queen has not commanded a formal inquiry into the matter. Category:Locations Category:Locations in Zamluno Category:Locations on The Veldt Category:Settlements Category:Small Cities Category:Settlements on The Veldt